Machine for unloading gondola cars



y 4, 1967 L. J. FRITZ MACHINE FOR UNLOADING GONDOLA CARS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001:. 8, 1965 Z H Y RR E O F N T. R NJ. 0 E E T c T WN A E R W A L m, J J

July 4, 1967 L. J. FRITZ 9 MACHINE FOR UNLOADING GONDOLA CARS Filed Oct. 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I ifi j 72 F 69 67 5 66 V g w 72 L 63 66 FIGB INVENTOR LAWRENCE J. FRITZ ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,329,289 MACHINE FOR UNLOADING GONDOLA CARS Lawrence J. Fritz, South Holland, 111., assignor to Palama, Inc., Highland, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed Oct. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 494,113 6 Claims. (Cl. 214-44) This invention relates to machines for unloading gondola cars, and has particular reference to a machine which can be readily moved lengthwise of a string of connected gondola cars while straddling the same for the speedy removal of the contents of the cars.

Heretofore the unloading of gondola cars containing commodities such as sand, ore, gravel or other granular materials has been accomplished either by hand operations, a clam shell or a car dumper. The use of hand labor is extremely expensive, and the use of a clam shell requires a considerable amount of hand labor for final cleanup, since the clam cannot readily remove material from the corners of the car. The car dumper is an expensive device, and requires large space for its construction and use.

According to the present invention it is possible to unload a string of gondola cars in a manner more eflicient than has been possible heretofore. The structure according to the present invention is characterized by a gantry adapted to straddle the track upon which the string of gondola cars are situated. The gantry has a horizontal platform spaced above the tops of the cars, and is provided with vertical members for its support. Such vertical members are provided with ground engaging traction members enabling the gantry to be trammed relative to the string of cars. The gantry includes an excavating machine mounted on the platform, and having a boom including a bucket mounted thereon adapted to move with respect to the boom to engage with the contents of the gondola. Structure is provided on the gantry and engageable with the contents of a gondola car for taking the reactions incident to the crowd of the bucket against the car contents.

With the foregoing considerations in mind it is a principal object of this invention to provide an unloading machine adapted to straddle a loaded gondola car and having structure for excavating the material from the car with a minimum of hand labor, the car unloading machine having structure engageable with the contents of the car for taking the reaction forces incident to the operation of the excavating structure.

Another object is to provide an unloading machine adapted to straddle a string of loaded gondola cars, said machine having movable abutment or reaction members engageable with the contents of the car as the machine moves along the length of the car while the same is being unloaded, to take the reaction forces incident to the operation of the unloading machine when in operation.

Still another object is to provide a car unloading machine characterized by a gantry straddling a string of cars and having an excavating machine of either the hoe or front loader type, and wherein a bucket is mounted on a boom for adjustable movement with respect thereto, for unloading cars in an efficient and expeditious manner.

Other objects and important features of the invention will be apparent from a study of the specification following taken with the drawings which together describe and illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and what is now considered to be the best mode of practicing the principles thereof. Other embodiments may be suggested to those having the benefits of the teachings herein, and such other embodiments are intended to be reserved especially as they fall within the scope and purview of the s-ubjoined claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a car unloading machine according to the present invention, said machine being shown situated in operative position with respect to a string of coupled and loaded gondola cars;

FIG. 2 is an end view thereof looking from the right to the left as seen in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detailed plan view of an anchoring or reaction device adapted to engage with the contents of a loaded car; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail elevation view of structure for locking the anchoring or reaction members out of a position of engagement with the contents of a loaded car.

Referring now to the drawings the car unloading device according to the present invention is referred to generally by the reference numeral 10 and is seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 in position for unloading a string of loaded gondola cars A and B connected together by couplers indicated by reference numeral 12. Cars A and B are part of a connected string of cars A, B, C, D, etc. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 cars A and B stand on spaced rails 13 of a conventional railroad track.

The car unloading machine 10 according to the present invention consists of a gantry referred to generally by the reference numeral 15, said gantry comprising a platform 16 consisting of longitudinally extending stringer members 17 which are intersected by laterally extending beam members 18. The corners of the platform 16 defined by the members 17 and 18 have vertical members 19, 19 depending therefrom. These terminate at the lower ends thereof in a frame 21 having spaced depending arms 22 supporting an axle 23 having ground engaging tramming wheels 24 mounted thereon. Each pair of vertical members 19, 19 flanking a side of the gondola car 11 is braced by a horizontal strut member 26, as seen in FIG. 1.

The platform 16 is adapted to support an excavating machine indicated generally by the reference numeral 25 and supported on a base 27 to the upper side of the platform 16. Excavating machine 25 has a turntable 28 mounted on the base 27 for swinging movement with respect thereto. Excavating machine 25 also consists of a first boom element 29 pivoted at 31 at a cab 32 of the machine 25, and boom element 29 is pivoted at 33 to a second boom element 34. A bucket 36 is hingedly connected at 37 to the end of the boom element 34 remote from its point of connection 33 to first boom element 29. Boom element 29 is adapted to be adjusted in position with respect to machine 25 by means of a telescoping cylinder and piston rod structure 38 pivoted at 39 to the machine 25 at cab 32 and at 41 to the first boom element 29.

A second telescoping cylinder and piston rod structure 42 is hingedly connected between a first point 43 on first boom element 29 and at a point 44 on second boom element 34, so as to vary the position of second boom element 34- with respect to first boom element 29.

Structure is provided for adjusting the position of the bucket 36 with respect to the second boom element 34, and such structure consists of the cylinder and piston rod 46 pivotally connected at 47 to the second] boom element 34, and pivotally connected at 49 to a linkage consisting of link members 51 and 52 connected respectively to second boom element 34 and to bucket 37.

Structure is provided for tramming the gantry 15 with respect to the string of connected cars A and B, and includes a power take off shift 53 extending from base 27 and connected to a prime mover, not shown, for the excavating machine 25. Shaft 53 has a sprocket 54 fast thereon which drives an endless sprocket chain 56 trained about a reaching sprocket 57 mounted on a stub shaft 58 supported by the horizontal strut 26. The tramming wheels 24 are fast on the support shafts 23, and sprockets Patented July 4, 1967,

3 59 are fast on the shafts 23 and have endless sprocket chains 61 driven from sprocket 62 fast on the shafts 58.

It will be appreciated that both sides of the gantry are powered identically, and structure is provided, not. shown, for wheels on the opposite side. A laterally opposed pair of the wheels 24 may be steerable if desired. Structure for steering the gantry 15 forms no part of the present invention, and is therefore not described in detail.

Structure is provided for taking the reaction crowding force CF incident to the crowding of the bucket in FIG. 1, and such structure includes a pair of laterally spaced rock arms 63, see also FIG. 3, each arm being pivotally mounted on a pin shaft 64 retained at its ends in spaced abutments 66 upstanding from the platform 16 at each end thereof. As seen in FIG. 1 the arms 63 are paired and extend from opposite ends of the platform 16.

Each of the arms 63 is connected adjacent the free end thereof by a channel member 67, and teeth 68 adapted to engage as reaction elements with the contents of the car are mounted on a dead shaft 69 flanking the channel member 67 and extending between the spaced arms 63 near the free ends thereof. Spacing collars 71 are supported on the dead shaft 69 and properly spaced the reaction teeth 68. As seen in FIG. 1, at the right arm 63 therein, the teeth 68 are normally rocked against channel 67 by a reaction force RF thereagainst. The teeth 68 are free to rock away from the channel member 67 for a purpose as will appear.

Ordinarily the spaced arms 63 are in a full line position as seen in FIG. 1 which varies according to the depth to which the car is filled, the reaction teeth 68 engaging With the contents of such car. On the other hand, the arms 63 are able to rock to a dotted line position when the car is empty, and in such cases the reaction force is taken by resiliently faced shoes 72 at the ends of the arms 63, and engageable with the floor F of the car A or B.

Structure is provided for locking the arms in position out of engagement with either the floor F of a car or out of engagement with the materials within the car, and as see-n particularly with reference to FIG. 4, the arms 63 can be locked in such position by means of a latch 73 pivotally mounted at 74 to the longitudinal extending member 17. Latch 73 is biased by a spring 76 constrained between a spring abutment 77 and latch 73, and the latch 73 is thus adapted to engage with an end 78 of the rock arm 63. A lanyard, not shown, may be connected to the latch 73, and pulled by the operator from within the cab 32, so as to cause either pair of arms to be engaged with either the contents of the car .11 or the floor F of the car 11.

The operation of the structure according to the present invention can best be described with reference to a number of coupled gondola cars loaded with foundry sand, for example. These cars may be located, for example, on a level siding with car number A being at one end thereof with cars B, C, etc. comprising the string of cars. The unloading device 10 moves into position over car A with both pairs of rock arms 63 in the horizontal position by the engagement of the latches 73 therewith. As the machine 10 travels along car A to approximately the center thereof, the operator disengages the anchoring device (the one to the right seen in FIG. 1) consisting of the paired arms 63 by releasing latch 73, the teeth 68 at the ends of the arms 63 engaging with the material in the car. The operator continues to tram the machine 10 until the bucket 36 reaches a proper position to commence unloading.

The operation of the excavating machine is well known, and need not be described in detail, and it is sufficient to note that the machine may be swung on its turn table 28 to either the right or left as seen in FIG. 2 to either side of the gondola car.

When car A has been approximately half unloaded, at the remote end thereof the unloading machine 10 will be approaching car B. As the unloading machine 10 moves from car A to car B the rock arms 63 supporting the reaction teeth 68 ride up over the ends of cars A and B, the teeth 63 rotating on the dead shaft 69 so as to clear the end of the car. As the unloading machine 10 proceeds in its movement the rock arms 63 will fall into the next car in line (which in this case is car B) to anchor in the material held therewithin.

The gantry 15 thus proceeds in the manner described to unload the cars of the string as has been described. When the next car to the last of the string has been unloaded, gantry 15 at that time is approximately at the center of the last car of the string. When the next to the last car is empty the operator engages the right hand rock arms seen in FIG. 1 in the locked horizontal position with its latch 73. This is done by lifting the end of the rock arms 63 with the bucket 36 until the latch 73 is engaged. The operator then disengages the latching mechanism 73 for the left hand rock arms 63 seen in FIG. 1, and proceeds with the completion of the unloading of the last car of the string. It will be appreciated that the operator has swung the machine 25 through from the position seen in FIG. 1. During the unloading of the last half of the last car of the string the ends of the left hand rock arms 63 are making contact with the floor of the next to the last car with the floor F of such car.

I claim:

1. In a machine for unloading open top cars, such as gondola cars, a gantry adapted to straddle the track upon which said gondola cars are situate, said gantry having a platforms spaced above the tops of said cars and including members depending therefrom and terminating substan tially at the lower extremities thereof in ground engaging members enabling said gantry to be moved relative to said track, an excavating machine mounted on said platform and having a boom including a bucket mounted thereon and adapted to move with respect to said boom so as to engage with the contents in an open top car for removal of same by proper manipulation of said bucket, and means supported by said gantry and engageable with the contents of an open top car for taking the reactions incident to the crowding of said bucket in the contents of a gondola car.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said last named means includes a reaction member pivotally mounted with respect to said gantry.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said reaction member consists of rock arms having reaction members mounted thereon adapted to engage with the contents of said car.

4. The invention of claim 2 wherein means are provided for latching said reaction members out of contact with said cars, so that said gantry and said cars may be moved relative to each other.

5. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said platform has said reaction means mounted at each end thereof, and wherein said reaction means are selectively engaged with the contents of said car according to the direction of movement of said gantry.

6. The invention according to said claim 5 wherein said excavating machine is provided with structure for pivoting the same with respect to said gantry.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1892 Stratton et al 21457 2/1942 DeJute 21444X 

1. IN A MACHINE FOR UNLOADING OPEN TOP CARS, SUCH AS GONDOLA CARS, A GANTRY ADAPTED TO STRADDLE THE TRACK UPON WHICH SAID GONDOLA CARS ARE SITUATE, SAID GANTRY HAVING A PLATFORMS SPACED ABOVE THE TOPS OF SAID CARS AND INCLUDING MEMBERS DEPENDING THEREFROM AND TERMINATING SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE LOWER EXTREMITIES THEREOF IN GROUND ENGAGING MEMBERS ENABLING SAID GANTRY TO BE MOVED RELATIVE TO SAID TRACK, AN EXCAVATING MACHINE MOUNTED ON SAID PLATFORM AND HAVING A BOOM INCLUDING A BUCKET MOUNTED THEREON AND ADAPTED TO MOVE WITH RESPECT TO SAID BOOM SO AS TO ENGAGE WITH THE CONTENTS IN AN OPEN TOP CAR FOR REMOVAL OF SAME BY PROPER MANIPULATION OF SAID BUCKET, AND MEANS SUPPORTED BY SAID GANTRY AND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE CONTENTS OF AN OPEN TOP CAR FOR TAKING THE REACTIONS INCIDENT TO THE CROWDING OF SAID BUCKET IN THE CONTENTS OF A GONDOLA CAR. 